1) GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION FOR ACCESS TO WEST PAPUA UNITES PROTESTORS ACROSS 20 CITIES

London, 29 April 2014 – Dozens of demonstrators dressed in black gathered outside the Indonesian Embassy today to lead the global protest against West Papua’s 50-year long isolation. The demonstration was organised by TAPOL and Survival International, supported by Amnesty UK and the Free West Papua Campaign. The rally was one of 22 protests around the world calling for free and open access to Indonesia’s most secretive region. Since West Papua’s annexation in 1963, Indonesia has imposed a media blackout on the contested, resource-rich territory, allowing perpetrators of human rights violations to act with total impunity. West Papua is one of the world’s most isolated conflict spots. For decades, Indonesian security forces have brutally suppressed Papuan pro-independence movements.

The ‘Global Day of Action for Free and Open Access to Papua’ has sparked rallies in West Papua, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, the Solomon Islands, Scotland, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Protests in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco are planned to take place later today. This global coordinated effort, the first of its kind, shows that worldwide solidarity for West Papua has reached unprecedented levels.

Esther Cann from TAPOL, a London-based NGO coordinating the rally said, “This is the first time we’ve seen anything like this level of support for West Papua. NGOs, parliamentarians and solidarity groups all around the world are telling Indonesia that human rights abuses in Papua can no longer be ignored. Papuan voices must be heard. In this age of information, it’s astounding that there are blackspot regions like West Papua.”

From the Solomon Islands to Scotland to San Francisco, hundreds of demonstrators from 22 cities in 10 different countries united to call for a free and open West Papua. Demonstrators wore black, representing the ongoing media blackout in West Papua. They gathered to demand that President Joko Widodo fulfill his presidential campaign promise of opening West Papua to international journalists, humanitarian and human rights organisations. A three-minute silence was observed to symbolize the silencing of the media in West Papua.

“President Jokowi himself has said that there is nothing to hide in Papua. So why is it still virtually impossible for journalists and NGOs to report on Papua? We know that serious human rights violations are happening in Papua, but we still have no idea of the scale of the killings and torture over the last 50 years,” said Cann.

“This global day of action is our way of telling the Indonesian government that the world is watching. Even though they’ve kept West Papua isolated for 50 years, the world has not forgotten. The truth must and will come out,” said human rights activist Peter Tatchell, who took part in the protest.

At the end of the demonstration, a joint letter to President Jokowi signed by 52 Papuan, Indonesian and international groups and parliamentarians was delivered to the Indonesian Embassy in London. The letter pointed out that ‘the media blackout denies the Papuan people the right to have their voices heard and allows human rights violations such as killings, torture and arbitrary arrests, to continue with impunity … The de-facto ban on foreign journalists, NGOs and humanitarian organisations contributes to the isolation of local journalists, and makes independent investigation and corroboration virtually impossible’. An Avaaz petition calling for media freedom in West Papua, launched by the Free West Papua Campaign and signed by over 47,000 people was delivered to President Jokowi by Papuan students in Jakarta today.

Reporters without Borders, a co-signatory to the joint letter, criticised Indonesia’s decline in media freedom. Benjamin Ismail, the Head of the Asia-Pacific Desk at Reporters without Borders said, “Indonesia’s ranking in the World Press Freedom Index has worsened dramatically in the last four years. In 2015, it ranked 138 out of 180 countries. This year’s position is mainly the result of the media blackout in West Papua orchestrated by the authorities.”

Access for UN human rights observers has been closed for eight years. In recent years, international humanitarian agencies and NGOs have been pressured to close their field offices and leave Papua. International journalists and NGOs seeking to visit and work in Papua are currently required to undergo a stringent visa application process involving the unanimous approval of 18 separate government agencies known as the Clearing House committee.

In October last year, two French journalists were sentenced to 11 weeks in detention under immigration charges because they had tried to report the Papua conflict. During a UN Human Rights Council event last month, Valentine Bourrat, one of the two journalists detained stated that “…keeping Papua closed to journalists means that the Indonesian authorities are hiding human rights violations. As journalists we cannot let a murderous silence prevail.”

Independent reporting by local and national journalists in Papua is dangerous and sometimes lethal. According to the Papuan branch of Indonesia’s Alliance of Independent Journalists (Aliansi Jurnalis Independen, AJI), in 2014 there were 20 reported cases of violence and intimidation against journalists in Papua.

“Journalists must be able to work without intimidation, threats or restriction. We should be able to report independently and without fear for our security. Why is this not guaranteed to journalists in Papua? As Indonesian citizens, why are our rights not safeguarded?” said Oktovianus Pogau, a journalist with Suara Papua, a Papuan news site.

During his presidential campaign, President Jokowi publically stated that there was nothing to hide in Papua and promised to open the region. Yet six months into his presidency, Papua remains closed off to the international community. While President Jokowi has pledged his commitment to resolve past rights abuses, the execution of eight people for alleged drug trafficking offences less than 24 hours ago puts the future direction of Indonesia’s human rights into serious question.

“If they want to be a modern, contemporary country they should do away with the death penalty.”

He said he had hoped President Widodo would have been more liberal than his militaristic predecessors.

“We’re calling on Indonesia to stop murdering people,” he said.

He welcomed Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s announcement on Wednesday that ambassador Paul Grigson would be recalled from Jakarta, but said there could be economic ramifications for the Northern Territory if Indonesia retaliated, such as by reducing its quota of NT cattle.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Adam Giles issued a statement on the executions, saying his thoughts were with the Chan and Sukumaran families.

“The loss of a child is a tragedy for any parent, let alone in the circumstances witnessed in Indonesia overnight,” he said.

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A google translate of article in majalahselangkah.com . Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.

Uproar unfurled a banner at a demonstration in the campus area Uncen. Photo: Frances Therese Tekege

Jayapura, MAGAZINE STEP - Student Movement, Youth and Papua People (Uproar) held a peaceful demonstration in Jayapura two different places, in the pages of Cendrawasih University (Uncen) Abepura campus and campus Housing III Waena, Wednesday (04/29/2015) afternoon ,

Uproar urged the Indonesian government immediately open free and open access to Papua for foreign journalists, humanitarian agencies, and international human rights organisations. "What is hidden Indonesia in Papua for 52 years?" asked the Secretary General of the uproar, Samuel Womsiwor on this demonstras.Demonstrations with similar demands held in a number of countries under the coordinated International Prisoners in London England with the theme of "WATCH INDONESIA," see what the Indonesian state against the people of Papua?

However, the demonstration uproar in Papua not without a hitch. The peaceful demonstration confronted the police in Abepura campus and campus Housing III Waena.

4)St udents Urge Papua Legislative Council to Be Impartial over Yahukimo Case

Jayapura, Jubi – Students from Yahukimo urged the Papua Legislative Council’s special committee to immediately follow up on its investigation and publish the results openly.

The Coordinator of Student Solidarity for the Yahukimo Incident, Olmek Nawa, told reporters last Monday that the investigation team must not take sides in its inquiry.“The students asked the Papua Legislative Council to involve the students and NGOs in investigating the Yahukimo case. But since we are not involved in the investigation, I went to Yahukimo to collect some data and now I have sufficient data,” Nawa told reporters in Waena.

“I appeal the Papuan people to wait until the result of investigation is published by the Papua Legislative Council,” he explained.

Meanwhile, the Student Representative Council Chairman of Faculty of Social and Political Science from Cenderawasih University, Pontius Omoldoman said Yahukimo students are currently waiting for the results of investigation by the parliament. The students asked the Papua Legislative Council to be neutral in covering the perpetrator.“If the result does not correspond to the reality on the ground, we will rally to the Parliament Office once again. We are, the students, not hesitate to voice about the truth in Papua. We asked them to not making a mistake in revealing the result of investigation. If they made a mistake, we will ask them to compile their data with ours, and NGOs. (Arnold Belau/Rom)

Jayapura, Jubi – Jayapura, Jubi – Dozens of students, activists, journalists and young people who are members of Papua Cultural Care Generation held the event ‘In Memoriam of Arnold Ap’ in front of Cenderawasih University Cultural Museum to commemorate 31 years after the death of legendary Papuan musician Arnold Ap, who was killed by the military on 26 April, 1984.

The Papua Bersatu Untuk Kebenaran (BUK/Papua Unite for Truth) Coordiantor, Peneas Lokbere said long after the murder of Arnold Ap Papuans continued to be victimized in many ways.“Papuans shouldn’t forget their culture. Papuans must stand up to fight. Arnold Ap was killed by the state, but the Papuans’ spirit to fight should not be stuck in here. The struggle must go on,” he said when delivering messages in the murder day of Arnold Ap last Sunday in Cenderawasih University Cultural Museum.

Meanwhile, Papuan human right activist Rossa Moiwend said the Papua young generation today should not forget their culture. Papuans must take their culture as their identity. Kork (Frizzy Rasta Community) Coordinator Teddy Pekei added Papuans must rebuild their identity through its culture and arts. Arnold Ap has showed that every Papuans must grasp their culture as the foundation of Papua nation.“Arnold Ap teaches us Papuans not to discriminate every tribe and nation in the land of Papua. He showed it through his songs that compiled from various Papuan languages,” he said.

After thirty-one years, the Government of Indonesia has not realizing that the murder of Arnold Ap and Eddy Mofu by the security force is the planned-murder and paralyzed towards Papuan identity and character of culture.

In commemorating the thirty-one years of death of Arnold Ap, the President Joko Widodo is urged to apologize to Papuan people for the crime and violation against the human rights and the paralyze of the character of Papuan culture by State’s apparatus (Military/Police) in Papua.

While the Papua Provincial Government is asked to support and assist the development of Mambesak (folk) music as part of Papuan culture and Papuans unification as well as to renovate Arnold Ap and Eddy Mofu’s grave where located in Tanah Hitam in respecting them. (Arnold Belau)

Jayapura, Jubi – A task force of border security (Pamtas) of the Republic of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea (RI-PNG) taught national awareness to elementary students of SD Inpres Kampung Workwana, Keerom.

In addition, soldiers of Battalion 400/Rider also painted and cleaned the elementary school.

According to Lieutenant Chb Sani Adithya Dharma, for four days, the military carried out painting and cleaning around the school as well as taught the kids about the importance of cleanliness, taught basic knowledge about computer, nationality and drills. The services are from Friday (17/4) to Tuesday ( 21/4).

“The service is one form of territorial development undertaken by soldiers,” he said in Jayapura this week.

He further explained, Workwana is one of the villages in Arso, Keerom where there is one RI-PNG border post of task force from Battalion 400 / Raider led by Sergeant Dian Retno.

Dian Retno further said teaching and learning conditions in the border region is still quite poor.“The presence of the military post in Kampung Workwana should be able to give a different color and draw the enthusiasm of the students to be more enthusiasm in learning activities by providing a wide range of subject particularly the awareness of nationality,” Lieutenant Sani said.

Separately, principal of Elementary school SD Workwana, Dominggas Karat, said the program was very good, especially to train students to be more disciplined.

“The presence of the military in the midst of the citizens is very precise, particularly in helping our school community which now looks clean and beautiful, so that we can be comfortable in teaching and learning process,” he said.

“I am very happy and grateful to the soldiers who have helped us in the process of learning. I can not give anything to them that willing to help our school. Once again, I thank you and proud of them. May God bless them, Amin, “Karat said. (*/rom)